The following invention relates to adapters for joining generally tubular structures of different diameters together. More particularly, this invention relates to blanks readily modifiable to become adapters of different sizes to join generally tubular structures of different diameters, such as pipe insulation cladding.
Pipes and other fluid transportation conduits are often designed to require or benefit from insulation surrounding an exterior thereof. Such insulation is typically provided to reduce heat transfer out of or into the pipe, but could additionally be provided for acoustic, vibration or other isolation purposes. Often the insulation material to be utilized is susceptible to damage from exposure to the surrounding environment. To avoid such damage to the insulation and maintain the thermal integrity of the insulation system, cladding is often employed to protect the insulation. Such cladding additionally can provide a desirable aesthetic appearance.
Most commonly, pipe insulation cladding is thin sheet metal (often aluminum, but potentially any thermal jacketing material including stainless steel or PVC) provided in tubular sections of convenient lengths and diameters to surround pipes and their associated insulation. The cladding can thus be installed with a minimum of on-site modification to the cladding by the installer.
One difficulty in installing such cladding is encountered when the pipe, and hence the surrounding insulation, transitions from one diameter to another diameter. The tubular cladding sections adjacent such a transition have different diameters, resulting in a discontinuity in the cladding. An adapter must be provided to cover this discontinuity and join the adjacent cladding sections of different diameters together.
Typically, the prior art method for providing such an adapter has involved starting with a plain flat sheet of cladding material and utilizing various cutting and bending tools to form an adapter, such as one having a desirable conical taper to mate adjacent sections of different diameter cylindrical cladding together. Such custom manufacture of adapters is particularly difficult and time consuming, decreasing the efficiency with which cladding is installed.
In addition to the pipe cladding example provided above, other situations exist where generally tubular structures of differing diameters are to be joined together and a need exists for a method and apparatus for conveniently forming such adapters in a fashion other than custom manufacture of adapters from flat materials. For instance, air handling duct sections of different sizes require adapters to join them together.
With this invention, an adapter blank is provided which is ready for final simple modification into a finished adapter for joining two adjacent structures of differing diameter. The adapter blank includes a tapering wall, typically of conical or frustoconical form with a rim defining a largest diameter portion of the adapter blank. The rim is typically circular and exhibits a substantially constant diameter matching a diameter of the larger pipe cladding adjacent the transition where the adapter is to be placed. To accommodate the various different sizes of larger diameter cladding, multiple different adapter blanks would be provided with each adapter blank having a rim diameter corresponding with larger diameter cladding sizes in general use.
The adapter blank preferably includes an overlapping edge extending away from the rim. The overlapping edge defines a region of the tapering wall where the tapering wall overlaps itself.
The tapering wall also includes graduations which are visually perceptible on the tapering wall. The graduations are each spaced a different distance away from the rim and maintain a constant perpendicular distance away from the rim. The graduations can completely circumscribe the tapering wall of the adapter blank or can be provided as points or extending for only a short distance along the tapering wall. A divider or other marking tool can then be utilized to extend graduations to completely circumscribe the conical wall.
Preferably indicia, such as numbers, are located adjacent at least some of the graduations with the numbers representing the diameter of smaller cladding adjacent the transition in which the adapter is to be utilized. A user can thus merely select the adapter blank having the rim diameter matching the larger diameter cladding and then cut the adapter blank along the graduation having the size, as indicated by the indicia, which corresponds with a diameter of the smaller diameter cladding. Once this cut has been completed, the adapter blank has been transformed into the finished adapter having a frusto-conical wall and appropriately sized for use to join the cladding sections of different diameters together.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an adapter for joining cladding of different diameters together.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a tapering adapter with an adjustable smaller diameter edge size for use in joining tubular structures of differing diameters together.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an adapter blank which can be readily modified to have appropriate diameters for joining tubular structures of different diameters together.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an adapter blank which has a fixed large diameter rim but with a modifiable smaller diameter edge to flexibly provide an adapter adjustable for use to join tubular structures of differing diameters together.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an adapter blank which requires only limited simple steps of final modification to provide a finished blank ready for installation.